Disappearing dimmer



Jul 22 1924. 1,502,471

E. HLAVACEK DISAPPEARING DIMMER Filed Feb. 5, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l July22 1924. 1,502,471

- E. HLAVACEK DISAPPEARING DIMMER Filed Feb. 5, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2favenlol' Patented July 22, 1924 PATENT orric EMIL I-ILAVACEK, OF TWORIVERS, WISCONSIN.

DISAPPEARING DIMMER.

Application filed February 5, 1924.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EMIL HLAVAOEK, a citizenof the United States, residing at Two Rivers, in the county of Manitowocand State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement inDisappearing Dimmers, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a tube enclosinga self-spreading accordionpleated fan connected to a continuous wire and moved by a tilting angleat the dashboard. The object of the invention is to provide adisappearing light obstruction on inside of automobile 16 headlightreflector which cuts off upper half of light at will of driver withoutreducing electric current through light bulb, thereby enabling driver tostill see the road well ahead and make his own headlights nonglarable.

One form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings inwhich Fig. 1 is a vertical section of complete tube enclosing accordionpleated fan. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of tube showing fan extendedgiving idea how the flat steel springs are bent to provide a means bywhich the fan is automatically spread when ejected from tube. Fig. 3 isa front and top view of dashboard control plate. Fig. 4 is a verticalsection on line 3, 3 showing how operating angle works in dashplateslot. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through a typical headlight showingcenter location of tube and approximate distance of fan spread withinreflector. Fig. 6 is a front view of headlight showing fan drawn in as'in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of headlight showing side viewof tube and angle it is installed and distance fan projects over lightbulb. Fig. 8 is a view of a typioal'installation of disappearing dimmerson an automobile. Fig. 9 illustrates some of the elements in detail.

'The tube 1 threaded at both ends constitutes the outside portion. ofapparatus. Guide rod 3 is riveted to tube 1 by rivets 6, 6 (Fig. 1).Guide rod 3 slides in groove 25 in block 2.

Serial no. 690,768;

Springs 11, 11 and 12, 12 are set in grooves 24, 24:. Springs 11. 11 actas shields to springs 12, 12 to which accordion pleated fan 13 isfastened. Rivets 14, 14: in block 2 hold springs 11, 11 and 12, 12rigid.Set screw 23 holds wire 10 in block 2 (Fig. 2).

Rubber washers 5, 5 are out to take up curvature as found in majority ofheadlight frames. Nuts 4, 4 (Figs. 1 and 2) are used to bolt tube rigidas shown in Figs. 5 to 8.

Half-union 7, 8 is screwed to tube 1 and piping 9 (Figs. 12578).

lVire 10 runs through piping 9 and is attached to operating angle 17(Figs. l2l) which when down in position as shown by dotted angle (Fig.4) puts fan 13 in position as shown in Figs. 25'('. Angle 17 is held bypin 20 in plate 16 riveted to dashplate 15 (Fig. 3).

Piping 9 is held in position at dashboard 19 by cleats 21, 22. Wire 10is fastened to bolt 18 to facilitate movement of operating angle 17(Fig. 4).

Fig. 8 illustrates a typical installation of disappearing dimmers. Bothheadlights are equipped the same and are operated simultaneously fromdashboard by one control apparatus. Disappearing dimmers are adapt able(by use of heavy rubber washers) to any shape headlight and reflectormade.

The headlights proper form no part of this invention.

I claim:

In a vehicle light, a dimmer comprising an accordion pleated fan spreadby two specially shaped strips of flat spring steel and having two otherwider flat spring guides riveted to grooved block operating on a guiderod in a tube to which is fastened a half-union and piping enclosing acontinuous wire attached to block at one end and at other end to amovable angle held in place by a stamped plate having a slot to permitangle ends to be moved up or down from top side of the dashboard of thevehicle.

EMIL HLAVAGEK.

